Leave the Leaves! Backing Up Reasons with Facts

Leave the Leaves! (by Bastian, Grade 4)

1Every fall, many families spend whole weekends raking leaves, stuffing them into bags and dragging the bags to the curb. I think there is a better way. Instead of bagging fallen leaves, people should rake them into garden beds and under trees and bushes, and leave them there through the winter. Leaving the leaves is good for small creatures, for birds and for the soil.

2First, a layer of leaves is a winter home for many small creatures. Some kinds of moths and butterflies spend the winter tucked in fallen leaves as eggs or caterpillars. Firefly larvae, spiders and beetles hide there, too. Under the leaves, these creatures are sheltered from the coldest winds.

3Second, leaves help feed birds. Birds such as robins and wrens hop through leaf piles, flipping leaves to find insects, worms and spiders to eat. In spring, many birds feed caterpillars to their babies. If the leaves are bagged and carried away, the insects hiding inside are carried away with them, and the birds have less to eat.

4Third, leaves make the soil healthier. Over time, fallen leaves break down into a dark, crumbly layer that adds nutrients to the soil. This layer also works like a blanket that keeps the soil from drying out. Earthworms pull bits of leaves underground, and their tunnels let air and water reach plant roots.

5Leaving the leaves gives small creatures a winter home, gives birds more to eat and makes the soil richer. It also saves time, since there are fewer bags to fill. This fall, put down the leaf bags and let nature use the leaves instead.